5 Extraordinary Benefits of Playing an Instrument at Any Age

Even a beginner’s cacophony isn’t as harsh on the ears as someone saying they’re too old to play an instrument.

The older someone is, the less likely they are to play a musical instrument. Yet learning an instrument is something available to any age group, from children to seniors. On top of that, it’s a rewarding activity, offering not just a talent, but also a wide variety of positive side-effects.

So here are 5 extraordinary benefits of playing an instrument at any age.

1. Boost Your Creativity

There’s nothing quite like learning an instrument to get the creative juices flowing.

You may think that learning music involves lots of sheet music (which you can find at sites like jamesguthrie.com) and that’s often true. But even in sheet music, you’re developing the basic building blocks of future creativity. And many great pieces of music are a creative interpretation of a previous arrangement.

Music opens up the endless potential for creativity, which in turn trains your brain to spot new creative opportunities. An instrument can help you become more creative not only musically, but also in other areas of your life.

2. Stimulate the Brain

Music’s effects on the brain don’t stop there. Scientists have found that learning an instrument comes with a whole suite of other benefits.

These include better language processing, better memory retention, mental rehabilitation, and perhaps even some defense against dementia.

Whatever the reason, it seems our brains connect with playing a musical instrument on a fundamental level — which does a lot to explain their appeal throughout history.

3. Relieve Stress

Even kids can get stressed, but for adults, stress is a fact of life. That’s why having an outlet is so important, and why music is good for you.

Learning an instrument is almost meditative. Even at its most frustrating, it gives you something to focus your energy on — and that frustration dispels when you make your next breakthrough.

4. Develop Perseverance

Perseverance may be one of the most underrated life skills in the world. What many think of us as luck or talent is actually the end result of perseverance. It’s the ability to push through any barrier that most often separates success from the alternatives.

Learning an instrument teaches that in a big way. It’ll prove that there’s nothing you can’t master by working at it enough, and it’ll show you that the people with skill are those who have put the time into developing it.

5. Improve Dexterity

Let’s not get too wrapped up in soft skills to undersell the tangible benefits of playing music.

Most instruments demand some level of physical dexterity, whether it’s playing chords on a guitar or accompaniment on a piano. And like all skills, dexterity is something you can hone over time.

Whatever instrument you learn, you’ll likely find some improvement in your fine motor skills — something that both kids and

The Benefits of Playing an Instrument

These are just 5 examples of the benefits of playing an instrument. The list could go on much longer. But even alone, these are 5 compelling reasons to pick up an instrument at any age.